Cigar lighter



A. A. JOHNSON CIGAR LIGHTER Filed Oct. 19, 1949 Gttorneg Patented Oct.27, 1953 CIGR LIGHTER" i AArthur LA.Johnson;A Bridgeport,v Conn.,YassignorftoA Automatic Devices Corporation,

Bridgeport,

Conni, a corporation of Connecticut" Application October 19, 1949,Seria1'No;`122",199'

(o1. .eiser-32) 13vClaims: 1

This invention relates to electric cigar lighters of the automaticso-call'e'dV pop-out 'type -generally used vin motor cars, althoughequally adapted to hmerand office use;

Lighters of this type usually havev an igniting unit which carries aheater coil and is movably supported-in a socketmember from Whichii-t*can be removed for use in lighting a oigan-'cigarette or the like.It-is normally held -in open-circuit, non-heatingv position in -the'socketmember. When Wanted for use it is movedinto closed-Loir'-cutheating position by a pushing'action which slides the unitdeeper intothe socketA member, whereby electric contact vis made through the heatercoil, and.` in which position theunit isheld until the coil rea-ches thedesired*-temperature'. Thereupon a thermostat causesrelease of the-unitwhich is then returned-byspring' pressure to1 its normal open-circuitposition in the socket member from which a usercan extract it -forlighting purposes.

Duringnormal-periods lof non-use the' igniting unit is carried in thesocketv member in its outer, open-circuit position vand is only advancedinto the socket member whenvit is desired-to raise the heater coil tothe desired temperature for-use1 Such movement is eiected-by a straightpushing action applied to a knob -or-the lik'eon theunit which projectsoutwardly beyond the supporting socket member.

A great disadvantage of such devices has-been the relative easeofv'inadvertent-ly pressing'l the igniting unit into closed-circuitheating-position when it is lnot intended to dosc; Thisfisdone'sometimes by a car occupant resting ari-elbow on a lighterinstalled incrnearthe armfofI a back seat in a motor car, or by a person getting`inior out of a car,- or by a folding -front seat striking anigniterinstalled in .the'front compartment of a car.

Anobject of this invention is to provide -an improved cigar-lighterconstructed-and arranged to prevent unintentional movement ,of` theigniting unit into? operative heating position..-

A feature of theinvention is the provisioniin an velectric cigarYlighter of 4a member.arranged to block movement of .the ignitingunitinto1op1 erative heating. position .in .thesupporting socket member asthe result of 'pressureappliecltothe endd face of the associated' handleor: knob, :toigether with a releasing device which canbezop` erated onlyby intentional actionA on` the .part of a user; A vstraight pushingoperation will not alone advance the. unit into lthe socket membersoithat'such accidental movement Aasnabove de.- scribed cannot occur.

2. A furtherfeature is the provision of `a lock release in a position-tobe *gripped 'by the-fingers of a userand operated -tothereby--causetlielock l ing device to release-and free theunit formovement inwardly vto-operati-ve closed-'circuitposition.

This is accomplishedby so constructing and arranging the handle knob bywhich the ignitin'g unit is manipulated that pressure -appliedrto--theendface only' of vthe knob-will not bereffe'ctive to shift the unit intoclosed-circuit position.:Y Such movement can'onlyl be accomplished byJapplying Apressure rst to the outer rimof 1 the -knob and Vfirstmovingsuch lrim inwardly7x to `accomplis'h the releasing' action. Suchanoperation normally requiresva user to yintentionally grip the movablerim in order to---operate the release.

A still further feature is the provision cfa control an-d operatingmember so constructed as to permit a -user to employv one hand-andsubstantially one movement tov-release the igniting unit andimmediately pressvit into heating position.v

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the drawings-z Figurev 1 is a transverse sectional view throughanautomatic cigar lighter constructed in accord'- ance with oneembodiment of the present-,invention showing the partsv-infnormalllinoperative positionv with the -igni'ting unit -lockedfagainstaccidental movement.l 'v

FigfZ is a smilarlview lshowing-the-operation offthe lock Areleasemechanism.:preliminary to moving the vigniti-ng unittooperative-*heating position.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view on thezlin'e 3=3 -of- Fig. Yl. y

Fig. ll is ka perspective view of .the lockingv element shown in Fig.f3.

Fig. 5 is a section througha lock retainer element, and

Fig. v(-3 is a `View similarto: Figs. 1 and 2, on a re'ducedffscale,showngrthe igniting unit pushed inwardly ltooperative `heating positionin: the supporting. socket member.

The. illustrated embodiment of the invention is shown in connection witha plug type. automatic cigarlighter such.r as is .especially adaptedfor-use in; motor cars. .As illustrated, it includes a cylindrical baseor sockety member' 1l comprising'ya sleeve l2 forming a deep socket i3adapted -to'bev mounted'inr a suitable opening I5 in ther-instrumentpanel I4, Vfor example, ofa motor car. The outer'end of the socketmember' has-a flangenl engaging the panel.`

The socket member is=secured -in-:placeby a fri' sleeve Il which may beformed at the bottom with a threaded aperture i8 threaded on a sleeve I9secured to the bottom of the sleeve i2. Ground Contact by the socketmember is made both directly to the grounded panel i4 by engagement ofthe flange IB therewith, or through the threaded connection I9, It andyoke il' to the instrument panel which is engaged directly by the endsof the yoke.

Contact fingers 2l which are insulated from the socket member aresupported in the lower end thereof and electrically connected to aconductor 22 leading to car battery, or similar source of potential.

As illustrated, the removable igniting unit 23 comprises a plungersection 24 on the end of which is carried a holder 25 for the heatercoil (not shown). The holder 25 has an annular ridge 25a for engagementwith resilient contact portions 25h formed in the wall of the socketmember to insure a good ground contact when the unit is inclosed-circuit heating position.

A handle knob 25 for manipulating the igniter unit projects outwardly inposition to be readily grasped by a user. The knob includes a stem 2'!threaded at its lower end into a plug 28 which is in turn threaded tothe upper end of the plunger section 24. The stem 2l has a knob head 29forming an end face 35 on the extreme outer end oi the knob.

The upper end 24a` of the plunger section 2t is of reduced diameter anda sleeve l slidably surrounds the reduced end. A coil spring isinterposed between a iange 33 on the lower end of the sleeve and aradial flange te on the plug J. By this arrangement the igniting unit isnormally yieldingly pressed by the spring S2 so as to hold the ignitingunit in the open-circuit position illustrated in Figs. i and 2. Bypushing the igniting unit inwardly in the socket member i2,

the spring contacts 2l yieldingly engage and hold a rounded contactsurface on the heater coil holder 25, as shown in Fig. 6, whereby aheating current passes through the heater coil and raises it to thedesired temperature for use, at which time the yielding contact members2i being formed of bimetallic strips move outwardly to disengage thecontact surface 35 and release the ignting unit. When thus released, the

spring 32 snaps the unit back to its normal openi circuit position, thissnapping operation serving to notify the user that the unit is heatedand ready for use. The user then can remove the unit from the socketmember for lighting purposes.

The means provided for preventing accidental movement of the ignitingunit into the socket to closed-circuit heating position, as illustrated,comprises a latch member il mounted for radial sliding movement on theplug 2t. The latch member is mounted below a retaining element 42 andhas a slot 43 receiving the stem 2l of the knob 25. A leaf spring 44 issecured to an inner flange 44a on the sliding latch 4I and engages thewall oi a circular recess 44h in the retaining element 42 to normallymaintain the nose 45 of the latch in projecting position to engage theface of the radial ange Sla on the sleeve 3l. For this purpose the latchil extends through a slot 4l in the side of the retainer 42. It will beapparent that when in this position the latch 4l blocks any movement ofthe igniting unit into the socket member l2 and no accidental pressureapplied to the end face 30 of the knob 25 can produce such movement.

Such movement can only be effected by interltional action on the part ofa user. The illustrated mechanism for accomplishing this includes asleeve 5l slidably mounted on the stem El of the knob 25 and formed witha recess 52 receiving the knob. As a result the outer edge 53 of thesleeve '5i forms, in effect, the rim of the knob for manipulating heigniting unit. A helical spring 54 in a recess 55 in the lower end ofthe sleeve is compressed between the bottom of the recess and a springseat 56 formed on the top of the latch retainer 42.

The lower end of the sleeve is formed with a recess 5l for receiving thelatch retainer 42 and the lower edge of the sleeve surrounding therecess is formed with a beveled cam face 55 adapted to engage thebeveled cam face 58 adapted to engage the beveled upper face on the nose45 oi the latch member 4l, whereby inward movement of the sleeve 5lrelative to the stem 21 causes the engaging cam faces 513, to to shiftthe latch member 5| inwardly to the position shown in Fig. 2, thusfreeing the igniting unit for movement into the socket member toclosedcircuit, heating position as shown in Fig. 6. In this positionheating current flows through the heater coil. When the latter has beenraised to the desired temperature the bimetallic spring contacts 2|release the igniting unit, permitting the spring 32 to snap it back intonormal opencircuit position shown in Fig. l, from which position it canbe readily removed from the socket member for lighting purposes and thenreturned to the open-circuit non-heating position shown in Fig. l. Inthis latter position the latch il again deiinitely blocks inwardmovement of the igniting element and no amount of pressure applied tothe end face 35 of the knob either when returning it to the socket or atany other time will cause it to move into closed-circuit heatingpositon. Such latter movement can only be obtained by intentionallyapplying pressure to the rim of the knob formed by the sleeve 5l andsliding it inwardly to produce the unlatching operation above described,whereupon the igniting unit is released for inward movement toclosed-circuit heating position.

Claims generic to the species of my invention illustrated herein arecontained in my copending application, Serial No. 3.22198, Iiled October19, 1949, entitled Cigar Lighter.

The invention can be variously modified and adapted and portions can beused without others.

I claim:

1. An electric cigar lighter comprising a supporting member; a removableigniting unit including a heater element, said unit as a whole beingmovable on said supporting member from open-circuit position toclosed-circuit position, current supply means for said heater elementincluding switch contacts for supplying current to said heater elementwhen said unit is in closedcircuit position, a knob connected to theunit for moving said unit from one position to another and withdrawingthe unit from said supporting member for use, said knob includingrelatively movable parts, one of which is movable in the direction ofcircuit-closing movement of the igniting unit, means positively lockingsaid unit against movement as a whole into closed-circuit position, andmeans actuated by move nent of the said one knob part with respect tothe other knob part in said circuit-closing direction for unlocking saidunit to permit movement thereof into closed-circuit position.

llv 2f mielectricicigar'lighterfcomprisingt afsupfpoiftingmember; avlremovable# igni-ting fu'nitfiin- 1 olu'ding-A a'eheaterlelementfi saidlfunit 'fasy ai Whole n#being movable'f'onf'saidvsupporting member-,from

` fopen-circuiti position' to ilclosed-circnit7 position,

ff 'curr ent 'supply meansifor-:said eater element finclding switchcontacts "forfsupplying currenttto Husaideheater element whenf-saidfuniti`sinclosed i circuitfpcsition',` auknob` connected tof? the-:n'nitf"foremovingesaidf'unit lf-romfione-position-'ftoi fan-L fotherhahdwithdrawing-'thelunit v-ir'omfsaid i base :fimeinber `foriuseisaidr-knobfincludingY relatively movable l parts-*including al'member 5having` 'an S outer y'endeportiorfforming? the-'ehd'fiace I`ofthe 'f knob-fand acrelativelyl movable member .forming a* rimsurroundingsaidl end `face-,means positively @locking saidA` unit fagainst movement Iiritoiclosedcircuiwpositioni "and imea-nsJ actuated--by'frelati-ve movementlbetweenssaid'rimrandsaidf' endfa'ce ffor*unlocking-said unit *to permit movementi'fthereof"into-clos'edcircuitr:position,

3-.25 'electric c'igar Alig'fl'fiter 'comprising aff 'sup- `'portingrme'inbew a eremovable'- ignitingvunitfin- 'cldinga-heateivelementesaid= unit-'being-mova'ble on said supporting memberfrom open-circitpo- :fs'ition f to closedicircuit position; currentsupply imeansfforni-said'heat'eri element 4including'-switch f'contactsforsupplying current to saidheaterlelef- Amentl whenf-said unitis l'in`Iclosed-circuit position, "afkobv connected'to-saidunitlforfmovingsaidunit i lrom"onepositionitofranother :and withdrawing said unit from-saidLbasev`mernfbernor-use,l said 'Iknob`rincliidingre1atively movableAparts" includng almemberehavinganouter end 'portion y'form- Ving-theend facefof the knob, and a relatively movablefsl'eeveslidablyfsnroundingsaidmember and `'forming af rim-fsurrou'ndingsaid`lendface; Vmeans Vpositively locking *said* unit "against u-movement intosaid'clos'ed-circuit position: andmeansactu- "ated byrelativemovementbetween' said4` member tion to closed-circuit position,knob means movableon the plunger section for moving said-section:fromionev-position-tofanother and. =for eexil'tractingfsaid sectionfrom-saidsocket member for v Puse# means -for positively clocking saidyplunger f'fseotion-against-movement from open-'circuit toclosed-'circuit position inls'aidsocket membenfand .v-means A.responsive-torelativer-movement fof-A said rfkobmeansincircuit-closing'fidirection s on` said?plungersection..for-.releasing- =said locking l`means 'topermitmovement of :said-plunger section `into :-closedecircuitiposition.

5. An electric cigar lighter comprising in combination, a supportingsocket member, a removable igniting unit having a heating element at oneend and multi-portion knob means at the other, said unit being slidablysupported in said socket member for movement as a whole intoclosed-circuit position or open-circuit position, said knob means movingsaid unit from one position to another and extracting said unit fromsaid socket member for use, means for positively locking said unitagainst movement from opencircuit position to closed-circuit position,means actuated in response to relative movement of a portion of saidknob means relative to another portion-'f'of-ls'aid "rknobr 11n*-circuit-closingifdireotlon for eleasinglsaid"lockingimeans.toLpermitfmove- .mentofsaidunitintoclosedecircui-tipositiongfand 'meanswhereby-'saidlockingnmeansisreturnediito lockingpositioniuponreturnfofisaidiunitztoiopenf circuit position.

6;- An electric' cigar lighterecompri'singr midombination,' afsupportingl socket .'ime'rnbeir;vv a-:removl able igniting unit having a-heatingelement'said iunit'beingslidablyfsupportedim said socketmemberfor movement as aiWholeliintocl'osedciruit oropene'circuitposition,-aetwopartf-knob'Y extendr ingi outwardlyifromsaidunitformamiallyshi-ftingfrs'aid unit-*fromonepositionnto'anothenand lfor lextracting said funit'lfrom: said socket.member foriusegmeansiforpositivelyi lockingsaida'unit .pressing`Vsaidfflatch toutwardly.:rmtoi'fpositiomlto Mr saidfunit in responsetoxrelative movementofone rfof.,l the knob partsfvwwith l respectlito:the: otheniin .circuit-closing directioneto .permit movement-,fof

I:said zunitH into closed-circuitfposition.

'7:-1 An 4electric cigarl .lighteracomprising'iinzcom- 1 bination-,zai.supporting:socketamember;- airem'ovable:ignitingsunit-.havinga-rheating elementiisaid :zunitzbeing' slidably.supportedinrsaidsocket'memzber for movement: as a Wholeintdrclosed-circuitor :open-'circuitposition, aknobxtendingoutwardfly from said unitforzmanuallyshiftingasaidmnit from one position toanother:andezforzaextracting f said. unitfromfsaidLsocket'fmemberaffomuse; positive meansforpositively;lockingisaidgunitz'against -movement. fromzzopen-:circuitto2 closedz-:circuitpo- .sition in Asaidxsocket:memberzcomprisingaradia'lly movable u latch,"r1means' znorrrially;` pressingksaid latch`outwardly-1-into :position toiprevent movei /ment-of said. ignitingunit finto closedscircuitfmov sition lin' said socketmember;andemeansicluding a sleeve 'shaped' to .formi Athe rim ro'fsaidrknob andslidablyffmounted on r saidarknob' :fori-moving :usaid`4 latchmadially"inwardA tofpermi-fr movement :ngofilsaid ,unit into 1closed-circuit zpo'sition.

87. :electric cigarslighter. having. a: cylindrical ,supportingisocketmemb'er; a :removable igniting .unit :having: a-r heating?.element-maid`:.imitfibeing slida'bly.V .supported xinwsaidz: .socketamember :for.amovement as a whole'into closed-circuit:or:open f- :circuitpositi'omfmeans. including a;radially:mov t. ablelatch on said unitpositively locking said'funit .f,f=,a`gainst movement tinto.closed-circuitii-position iwhentheilatch is in a'radially-:extendedaposition,

f, and .means 'fincluding atimovableV latchfsreleasing member:relatively .movablei' .with frespectctosfthe igni-tingsfnnitl :formoving .'said.- latchi radiallyiin- Ward in response to relativemovementwofr'ffsaid memberiin;circuit-closingLdirectionewhen theigniting unit is locked, thereby to unlock said unit for movement intoclosed-circuit position, said releasing member comprising a knob partconstructed to require intentional gripping by the user in order tocause said unlocking operation.

9. An electric cigar lighter having a cylindrical supporting socketmember, a removable igniting unit having a heating element, said unitbeing slidably supported in said socket member for movement as a wholeinto closed-circuit or opencircuit position, a knob for manually movingsaid unit from open to closed-circuit position, means including aradially movable latch on said unit. positively locking said unitagainst movement into closed-circuit position, said knob including amember forming a projecting end face and a relatively movable latchreleasing sleeve, and cooperating cam surfaces on said latch and saidreleasing sleeve whereby axial movement of sai/.l sleeve relative tosaid knob moves sai-d latch radially inward to unlock said unit formovement into closed-circuit position, said releasing member beingconstructed to form a rim around said end face to be gripped by a userin order to cause said unlocking operation.

10. An electric cigar lighter comprising a socket member, an ignitingunit having a heating element, said unit being movably housed in saidsocket member and removable therefrom for use, current supply means forsaid unit including a switch having contacts movable to closed-circuitposition in response to axial movement of said unit as a whole relativeto said socket member, means supporting said unit for movement in saidsocket member from open-circuit to closedcircuit position including asleeve slidable on said unit and frictionally engageable with saidsocket member, spring means between said unit and said sleeve foryieldingly holding said unit in opencircuit position, latching means onsaid unit, said latching means when extended engaging the end of saidsleeve to positively lock said unit against movement into closed-circuitposition, and a knob for moving said unit into closed-circuit positionand removing said unit from said socket member for use, said knob havingmeans including a movably mounted member for retracting said latchingmeans to permit movement of said unit into closed-circuit position.

11. An electric cigar lighter comprising a socket member, an ignitingunit having a heating element, said unit being movably housed in saidsocket member and removable therefrom for use, current supply means forsaid unit including a `switch having contacts movable to closed-circuitposition in response to axial movement of said unit as a whole relativeto said socket member, means supporting said unit for movement in saidsocket member from open-circuit to closedcircuit position including asleeve slidable on said unit and frictionally engageable with saidsocket member, spring means between said unit and said sleeve foryieldingly holding said unit in opencircuit position, latching means onsaid unit, said latching means when extended engaging the end of saidsleeve to positively lock said unit against movement into closed-circuitposition, and a knob for moving said unit into closed-circuit positionand removing said unit from said socket member for use, said knob beingmovable on the igniting unit and having means including a rim iixedthereto for retracting said latching means to permit movement of saidunit into closed-circuit position.

12. An electric cigar lighter comprising a socket member, an ignitingunit having a heating element, said unit being movably housed in saidsocket member and removable therefrom for use, current supply means forsaid unit including a switch having contacts movable to closedcircuitposition in response to axial movement of said unit as a whole relativeto said socket member, means supporting said unit for movement in saidsocket member from open-circuit to closedcircuit position including asleeve slidable on said unit and frictionally engageable with saidsocket member, spring means between said unit and said sleeve foryieldingly holding said unit in opencircuit position, latching means onsaid unit engaging the end of said sleeve to positively lock said unitagainst movement into closed-circuit position, and a knob for movingsaid unit into closed-circuit position and removing said unit from saidsocket member for use, said knob having an end face and including arelatively slidable outer sleeve, and means responsive to relativemovement between said outer sleeve and said end face to retract saidlatching means and permit movement of said unit into closed-circuitposition.

13. An igniting unit for an electric cigar lighter having a holder,comprising a body having a heating element to be mounted on the holderfor removal and replacement and manual means for moving the bodylongitudinally in the holder to replace the body in the holder in anopen-circuit position; means yieldably resisting further movement of thebody from the open-circuit position to a closed-circuit position; a stopmounted on the body for transverse movement with respect to the bodybetween operative and inoperative positions and cooperating with theholder in operative position to positively prevent movement of the bodyfrom open-circuit to closed-circuit position when the body is beingreplaced in the holder; and separate means in addition to and carried bythe said named body moving means for moving the stop to inoperativeposition to permit movement of the body to circuit-closing position.

ARTHUR A. JOHNSON.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,677,734 Smith July 17, 1928 2,196,151 Johnson Apr. 2, 19402,223,654 Ashton Dec. 3, 1940 2,223,034 Lehmann Dec. 3, 1940 2,247,093Lehmann June 24, 1941 2,267,592 Kline Dec. 23, 1941 2,276,215 LehmannMar. 10, 1942 2,288,005 Lehmann June 30, 1942 2,301,129 Lehmann Nov. 3,1942 2,427,297 Modrey Sept. 9, 1947

